Empyrium
The Empyrium is the home of the Arkn race in Universe X. It is one of the two largest Sub-Realms within the Lathrym, and consists of four regions and an independent kingdom, each with its own capital and ruler. The sub-realm as a whole is overseen by the Arkn Eldric. Regions The Empyrium is divided into four regions: Distalia, Mistria, Shallus, and Destrus. Alongside this is the independent monarchy of Avantas'tol, which lies on the border of Distalia and Mistria. The regions vary in size, and all spread to the edge of the sub-realm before dropping off into the Silulis. Each region has its own unique geographies and ecosystems, right down to the creatures that live in it. Each region is overseen by a Thani, who governs from a personal castle-based city within their region. The one exception is Avantas'tol, which has negotiated with the Eldric to remain an independent traditional monarchy. Armies led by the Thani (similar to a kingsguard) tend to be present as guards throughout the reation, stationed in each of the hold cities (with at least one hundred soldiers per city). While the Arkn Eldric allegedly has no public army, legend tells of a private kings guard: the Army of Nothing, the ranks of which are filled with highly-skilled, nameless Arkn. Distalia Distalia is the hub for food production and building materials in the Empyrium. The region is home to ethri-absorbent, tree-like plants known as Aela. These plants provide a spongy, yet sturdy, wood substitute building material, as well as an edible fruit (which may contain a minor ethric boost. The entire region is forested in these Aela, which hide away many cities and villages. The region's rich soil has yielded a number of produce farms. The central city of Distalia is Vinaya, the largest hold city in the Empyrium. It is located within the tallest Aelas of Distalia, with the structures built into the giant trees and on top of them, and bridges connecting certain portions together. The slums of Vinaya are the only section of the city located on the ground. Heliocus rules over Distalia from her floating castle, Distran, which floats high above Vinaya using specially designed sigils as boosters. Other major settlements in the region include: * Sivrica: City. Includes a post office, a tanner, a marketplace, and an armory, as well as numerous apartments. * Touve: Mining city. Includes a rather large marketplace, a tavern, and an armory. There are also numerous apartments for miners and other civilians. * Katsure: Village. Includes a grocer, a tanner, and a jeweler. * Avrigai: Town. Includes a marketplace, a blacksmith, and a theatre. Surrounded by a number of produce farmers. Avantas'tol An independent monarchy, [[Avantas Tol|'Avantas'tol']] is located on the forested, mountainous border of Distalia and Mistria. It is known for its beautiful architecture, and is the home of the Irinith family. Sevar'khai Elistros Irinith is the current Indazari of Avantas'tol; he lives in the Avantas'thern, a citadel at the center of the city. The castle is fortified heavily, but has its fortifications disguised under its stained glass windows. Mistria A very mountainous region located to the right of Distalia on the map. It is populated by many Arkn villages and towns, which are built into the sides of the mountains. The region is home to the largest (now dormant) ethric volcano, Mortavrest, now the home of the hold city of Windecayn (the third-largest hold in the Empyrium). The city is built within the walls of the great dormant volcano, which powers most of its technology with its Ethric steam and diesel-like super-heated Ethri. The city includes an armory, swordsmith, a market place, and a theatre. The Thani Maalficious rules over Mistria from Castle Volca, located within the super-heated core of Mortavrest. The cast is protected by sigils that keep the heat from destroying the building and its inhabitants. Major settlements in Mistria include: * Callum: City. Located across the mountains of Mistria, and connected through bridges and mountain side buildings. Includes a market place, post office, * Takesuro: Town. Includes a grocery store, blacksmith, tanner, and mines. * Alish: Village. Includes a market place and a tanner. * Neoel: City. Includes a market place, farms, and mines. Shallus Shallus (often referred to as "The Shallus") is a shallow, oceanic region surrounding the eastern side of Mistria, located above Distalia. The "ocean" itself is made of a dark, thick liquid known as Aebys, while the beaches are moist with Ethric runoff from Mortavrest. Many creatures live in the Aebys within the Shallus, such as the Celdrissia. The hold city is [[Hazedya'kuro|'Hazedya'kuro']], the second-largest hold and hub of Arkn culture and art in the Empyrium, which rests on the shores of Shallus. The rest of the settlements in the region reside on, or in, the Aebys. Nevilith, the Thani of Shallus, dwells within Castle Bellnacht. The castle is located in a crater in the deepest area of the Shallus, and extends above the surface, providing an open-air entrance and causing the structure to appear to float on the Aebys. The castle walls are built with rethryc crystal alloy, which maintains integrity of strength while emitting a glow that illuminates the submerged regions of the castle. Other major settlements in Shallus include: * Parvus: A small city located right next to the surface entrance of Bellnacht, floating over the deep crater on ethric boosters. Includes a tanner, armory, a marketplace, and a theatre. * Gabeg: A village with a jeweler and a blacksmith. Floats above the Shallus. * Levris: A town. Includes an armory, blacksmith, post office, and tanner. Destrus Destrus is a former section of Distalia, now reduced to an ethric wasteland due to Dekn invasion and past eruptions from Mortavrest. Destrus is located below Distalia and Mistria, and past the Shallus, where it cuts off inside. The region is walled off by uniquely gigantic ethric crystals, sigiled with an EMP field that resonates throughout Destrus, disabling any potentially active ethric tech from Dekn invaders. The wild beasts here tend to be more fearsome and ravenous. Additionally, there is the threat of The Absent, which wander the area. While no active cities are located in the region (other than the ruins of the past), the Eldric, Eldrici Lazros, has a great fortress here. He dwells within a castle that borders Destrus. The castle is made entirely of metallic alloys, which allow the pulse from the Wall of Ethric to pass over without any interference to the magic items within. The castle is known as Diamus to the Arkn, and is rumored to be guarded by the Army of Nothing. Destrus is also the residence of the Scarred Marauders. Beastiary * Alagis'ra: ''Giant sand worm creatures that live in Destrus. They look like massive armored worms with a multi-segmented mouth and no eyes. They see via vibrations in the earth. Their stomachs are bigger than entire cities, and they have three main hearts; one is located in the head, one is surrounded by the stomach, and one is near the tail end of it. They are slightly intelligent, and can be tamed to be riden. They eat structures and dead corpses as well as living entities. * ''Banka: ''Highly intelligent creatures that live on the Shallus shore. They are herbivores, consuming the herbs and vegetation on the shores of Shallus. Enormous, floating beings, they often have vegetation growing on their scaled bodies, and can grow to be the size of full islands, causing them to look like turtles with islands on their backs. They reproduce very rarely. They have two arms and legs that curl down, and an innate connection to the Ethric force, which enables them to float gently. They can channel huge amounts of Ethric energy, but only do so to float, as they hold a reservoir of Aebys inside of them. This reservoir must be refilled once every three decades or so, else they topple to the ground and die. * ''Cavaca: Bird-like herbivore creatures that come from the Silulis and have spread out all over the Empyrium. They have extremely wide frames and massive wings, but smaller bodies, resembling stingrays somewhat. They have multiple eyes covering their whole body, and 360° vision. They have two stomachs, with one huge combined brain/heart that they cannot live without. Their migration is the only area in which they show any intelligence, as they are extremely punctual at knowing when and how to migrate. They are difficult to kill; the Arkn meal known as cavaloca is made from their flesh. * Vetterga: Mistria-dwelling beasts that evolved from the Cavaca to live on the ground. They feed on the rocks from the mountains, and have curved blades on their “wings” so as to slice rock off. Aside from having legs (which Cavacas lack), they look much the same as the average Cavaca. They have stomachs that can melt rock into lava for digestion, as well as the ability to see in the dark. Their legs have extremely sharp claws, and they can tuck in their wings to burrow into the rock and eat more. However, they are unintelligent and unruly, and cannot be trained to tunnel through rock. Category:Universe X Category:Locations Category:Sub-Realms Category:Locations (Universe X)